EXPO 2015 GOES TO IZMIR MILAN
(UPDATED: due to a technical error, the first round of voting didn’t count and… suddenly Milan won. Read our coverage here) This is breaking news (kindly e-mailed to me by Meltem): Izmir has just won the battle for EXPO 2015. The Western Turkish city is allowed to host this grand event. It’s a good day for Izmir and for Turkey as a whole: this is a great opportunity to show the world that Turkey is a modern, developed, hospitable and beautiful country with a people more than able to organize great events.
In case you missed it, here are two great videos showing why Izmir deserves this:
UPDATE
From the Hürriyet newspaper:
Paris based Bureau of International Exhibitions (BIE) decided Aegean coastal city of Izmir to host EXPO 2015 on Monday. The other candidate was Italy’s Milan. Izmir has spent a total of 15 million euros on publicity.
Big deal or not? Look at these numbers:
It is anticipated to bring in a profit of $15 billion to Izmir. Izmir has been preparing for the fair for more than a year and has spent a total of 15 million euros on publicity.
The Turkish newspaper adds that “[t]housands of people gathered in the Konak Square of Izmir to celebrate the decision.”
Well done Izmir – my home away from home: much deserved!
UPDATE: or not
It seems that a technical error occurred. Izmir didn’t win, Milan won.
Turkish TV channels reported Italy’s Milan is going to host EXPO 2015 after revoting in Paris. 86 members of the Bureau of International Exhibitions (BIE) supported Milan, while Izmir got 65 votes.
That’s fabulous. Well done people.
Quite a disappointment. Izmir deserved to win this one, also because Milan hosted the EXPO once before.
Awkward. I’d like to know why Milan won.
Additional thoughts: Milan hosted the EXPO twice before. Izmir has never hosted it. Izmir was, according to expert, the favorite. Some said a couple of days ago that Izmir was leading by 10 votes or so. Now it lost by 21.
Those who voted should come up with a good reason. This decision is controversial and unexpected. Izmir deserved to win this.
One gets the impression that one of the factors that may have caused Milan to win is the political situation in Turkey right now. Organizations don’t like instability, and Erdogan is doing his very best to make Turkey as unstable as he can.
SHUT UP! Milano won!
I tell you why Milano won. Izmir is a nice city, but Milano is nicer. Home to La Scala, fashion, faboulous art (like Last Supper by Leonardo), and world famous architecture, which Izmir hasn’t got.
Sorry man.
In the United States, we call this a "Dewey Defeats Truman" moment (the Chicago Tribune announced the wrong winner for president in a big headline in 1948… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewey_Defeats_Truman). I had the same problem with my own site… jumping the gun based on the first news reports.
edited by MvdG: speak without prejudices. milan is doing expo for the 3rd time and this can not be explained by anything but good old greed!
Which Izmir hasn’t got? Take some advise from me: before you write about what a certain city has and doesn’t have go to that city.
They had a great culture in Izmir when your ancestors were still living in caves and Milan wasn’t much more than a farm.
Edited by MvdG due to profanity and bigotry.
Seems to me that they’re both beautiful cities with a lot to offer, but I’m sure it’s disappointing for you, Michael. It’s too bad that certain idiots come crawling out of the woodwork with insults and bigotry at a time like this.
@Micheal. I’ve been to Izmir, I’ve enjoyed Efes, Pammukkale and the beautiful Egean Cost.
but be honest, guys. Milan is more famous the Izmir in the 4 corners of the world and it REALLY DESERVED the Expo 2015, no tricks at all.
Edited by MvdG: deleted because of anti-Muslim bigotry.
@Micheal. I’ve been to Izmir, I’ve enjoyed Efes, Pammukkale and the beautiful Egean Cost.
but be honest, guys. Milan is more famous the Izmir in the 4 corners of the world and it REALLY DESERVED the Expo 2015, no tricks at all.
We disagree on that. Izmir has a lot more to offer; one of the things Izmir has to offer is that it’s one of the world’s most beautiful cities, yet the world doesn’t know it yet. In other words: discovery of heaven.
And Izmir has an ancient history, with ancient buildings, etc. It’s at the core of Western civilization (ancient Greek civilization). It’s not just some city, it’s one with a long, long history and one that’s still top notch today.
Aside from that, Milan has hosted the EXPO before. In such a case – when two cities are basically equals - I believe that the BIE should give it to Izmir.
But we can disagree on that – but only in a civil manner. I’ve deleted comments already and will continue to do so; no bigotry allowed.
MvdG: i agree with your decision of editing Ganzo comment about muslims. but if you are honest you should edit also sinan’s idiot comment about mafia.
Boldi: I thought about doing that, but I considered that comment to be more of a joke and less insulting than the one I did delete. But I’ll edit it.
admin: arguing with admin and personal attacks = ban
As usual
We never deserve a thing we win, do you remember Blatter @WC06? Or people cheering up just because Italy lost Euro 2012 bid?
Issues like the Armenian Genocide or Kurds’ rights are not candies. Thus, IMHO anyone with such SEVERE issues to deal with should think TWICE before talking about mafia. The bid was ALL ABOUT LOBBYING. Anybody knew that… no secret. Fair? Unfair? Those are the rules of the game. Complain formally with BIE, if you disagree with mechanisms that (I know) have very little to do with merit.
And, about Smyrna… sure its history dates a long time. But as an HELLENIC city forcefully turkified after 1922. Would you call nowadays american the heirs of natives?
we’re all so sorry right now but there’s nothing to do now . it would be great if izmir has won, the world would know well izmir. we really deserved to win. izmir is a great city but ok you don’t need expo to come to izmir. come and see what you’ve missed. we’ll always glad to welcome you.
no need to get tense now. congratulations milan
sights of Milan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:MailaenderDom.jpg
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castello_Sforzesco_%28Milano%29
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonne_di_San_Lorenzo_%28Milano%29
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadio_%22Giuseppe_Meazza%22_di_Milano
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Supper_%28Leonardo%29
sights of Izmir http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Izmir_Clock_Tower.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Izmir016.jpg
YOU CAN’T SAY THAT THE TWO CITIES ARE EQUIVALENT!!!!! also a dumbass understands it.
Edited by MvdG: deleted due to irrelevancy. Take your propaganda somewhere else.
Edited by MvdG: deleted due to irrelevancy. Take your propaganda somewhere else.
?zmir didnt loose Expo,EXPO lost ?zmir!What a pity to them.They missed a great oppurtunity to create a better world in 2015 with izmir. Also the delegation of some countries left us alone althoug they promised to vote 4izmir.Maybe the pearl(?zmir) chose to hide itself this time despite passion of public on expo but when izmir will be back,it will create a serious HURRICANE OVER THE WORLD!
Edited by MvdG: again deleted. Nice try. No arguing with the moderators, therefore you’re banned.
SOME example of what you can see in Milan:http://milan.arounder.com/